Patrick G. Maggitti, PhD, Appointed as Villanova University’s First Provost

Villanova, PA, April 7, 2015 – Villanova University President, the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, today announced the appointment of Patrick G. Maggitti, PhD, as the University’s first Provost, effective August 1. This key appointment is the result of a national search led by a committee of Villanova faculty, trustees, students and administrators.

As Provost, Maggitti will be the Chief Academic Officer and the second ranking officer of the University, serving as leader of the institution in the absence of the President. Recognized for his scholarship, teaching ability and leadership, Maggitti brings a breadth of experience to this new role, melding wide-ranging knowledge in the academic, business and administrative arenas. He currently serves as the Helen and William O’Toole Dean of the Villanova School of Business.

“We sought a visionary, integrative thinker with strong academic values dedicated to collaboration, teaching, service and scholarly research activities for our first Provost,” said Fr. Donohue. “Dr. Maggitti possesses all these qualities and is also intimately familiar with Villanova University and our Augustinian mission. He has distinguished himself as a leader who will provide energetic, intellectual leadership to Villanova’s academic community, and I am very much looking forward to working with him in this new role.”

“I am honored to serve as Villanova’s first Provost and have the opportunity to collaborate with my academic colleagues to foster creative and innovative approaches to enhance Villanova’s educational offerings, our research productivity and our intellectual climate,” said Maggitti. “I consider myself fortunate to serve among such a strong, talented group of faculty, staff, and students and I am excited to have this opportunity to work together to build and achieve even greater academic success for our institution.”

As the University’s Chief Academic Officer, Maggitti will oversee the academic enterprise. To that end, he will play a major role in the development of the University’s vision and strategy, ensuring that Villanova’s greatest priority is academic excellence and the holistic education of its more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students. He will have oversight of the University’s six colleges, which include the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the School of Business, the College of Engineering, the School of Law, the College of Nursing and the College of Professional Studies. He will also oversee all other academic areas, including Graduate and Undergraduate Research, Falvey Memorial Library, the Honors Program, Enrollment Management, and Planning and Research, among others.

“Dr. Maggitti is dedicated to scholarship, cross-college collaboration and interdisciplinary learning,” added Fr. Donohue. “His energy, creativity, integrity, inclusiveness and collaborative style have made him exceptionally successful and the ideal leader to help guide Villanova University to new levels of excellence.”

A recognized scholar in the areas of entrepreneurship and strategic management, Maggitti has authored numerous publications for premier journals such as Research Policy,Journal of Management Studies and the Academy of Management Journal, widely considered the field’s most elite research publication. Maggitti’s research interests focus on dynamic processes, including strategy, innovation, entrepreneurship, and market- and non-market-based competition. His research is highly cited by other scholars, and a 2008 article he coauthored was identified by the Academy of Management as among the best papers for thought leadership in the field of entrepreneurship.

Throughout his career, Maggitti has proven to be a strong leader, demonstrating a myriad of skills that are critical to advance the University’s strategic priorities. He is an award-winning teacher and scholar committed to both undergraduate and graduate education. An entrepreneur himself, he founded two successful companies. He has also consulted with a variety of international organizations—including several Fortune 500 companies—on various aspects of strategy and entrepreneurial thinking.

In addition to serving as the Helen and William O’Toole Dean of the Villanova School of Business, Maggitti has been a member of the Business School faculty since 2008. He is an associate professor of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship and the founder and former Carmen and Sharon Danella Director of the Center for Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship. Maggitti received a BS in Chemistry from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia; an MBA with high honors from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, and a PhD in Strategic Management from the University of Maryland, College Park.

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges—the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University School of Law. As students grow intellectually, Villanova prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu

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The Villanova School of Business is a premier educational institution that offers undergraduate programs, graduate programs and executive education. Founded in 1922, VSB is known for academic rigor; creativity and innovation; hands-on and service learning opportunities; a firm grounding in ethics and an applied education that prepares students to become outstanding leaders and global citizens within the ever-changing, complex, and fast-paced world of business.